COLUMN Musings and Mishaps

Author: Lindsey Whitton

Last Wednesday when the campus-wide power failure threatened to last more than a few minutes, I left the newspaper office and trudged back home to wait out the storm. But this year's home, I soon realized, did not facilitate the same peaceful wood fire and wool blanket gatherings that my childhood home did when the power went out. Chalk it up to the overwhelming influence of testosterone.
Last year in room draw two of my friends and I were inspired to sign up for incredibly spacious rooms with inordinately tall ceilings at the price of living with 11 boys in a house on the periphery of campus. We made the split second decision to go for it and then worried about our housing all summer.
So when the power went out, and my two girlfriends went to bed, I found myself alone with all of the boys. I have to admit, I was a bit excited at the concept of getting to talk to them without the glare and blare of multiple football games in the background — a real novel opportunity in this house.
But with the cable down they were immediately onto the next scheme. Before I could suggest candlelight and conversation, two boys had gone to get beer, three others were setting up a table-top baseball game and five of them had arranged a full band with multiple instruments. I have to admit, I was impressed with their speed and creativity. Boys, I have noticed, are always doing something.
So in the absence of stimulating discussion, I turned to my poetry book, but the baseball players kept moving around the table and blocking the one emergency light. They were very polite but totally immersed in the game. After reading three poems two lines at a time I gave up this futile attempt and put my homework away.
I turned then to the music. I was overwhelmed with the product of such a spontaneous, eclectic musical gathering. I curled up in a big, old chair in a very dark corner and just listened. This year is going to be very good for me, I decided as I smiled to myself in the dark. After growing up in a family with six women it's about time I learned how the other half lives.
Only two weeks into my big experiment, I only have one important piece of advice: It's always a good idea when you are sharing a bathroom with boys to differentiate with a big pink sign the "Sit Down Stall" from the stand-up one.